Moving tributes have been paid to 'inspirational son, friend and hero,' RAF corporal James Campling who has died after a long and brave battle with a brain tumour.

After his diagnosis in June 2016, James, 29 worked tirelessly to raise over £30,000 for the Brain Tumour Research charities.

Tragically he died in Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital on Tuesday after a courageous battle with the illness.

His family told how he wrote a “bucket list” of around 100 things he wished to achieve during his terminal illness.

One of just a handful that he could not fulfil was to ride a yak in Mongolia.

He family will go and fulfil his wish later this year.

They also plan to continue fund raising for the Brain Tumour Research charity.

James succeeded in visiting over 80 countries throughout the world including every single nation in Europe.

James with friends in Slovenia with Europe Complete

A large banner adorns the living room of the family home proclaiming “Europe Complete.”

He also had two books published describing all his travel and with his motto “Never do, never will.”

Sister Jess said: “James crammed more into his 29 years than most do in their lifetime. He made every minute count.”

Mum Diane said: “He was our son, a friend and our hero.”

A military funeral will be held at Grimsby Minster in his honour.

James was among the RAF nursing team who brought back to the UK one of the first victims of Ebola from Sierra Leone.

James receiving an honour at Buckingham Palace from Princess Alexandra

He was presented to the Royal Patron to RAF Nursing Services, Princess Alexandra at Buckingham Palace last July for his fund raising to military nursing.

James was born in Grimsby maternity home, to Diane and Gareth Campling .

He first attended Healing Primary before going on to Healing School.

Friend Dave Brooke-Stowe recalled James setting up the Animal Savers Club because of his love of animals.

“Even if he found a ladybird, he would take it into care and look after it,” told Dave.

“There was a scabby, stray cat being taunted by pupils and James waded straight in to rescue it. Even though the bell had gone for class he still picked it up and ran home with it to care for it. He called it Cinders. He was always so caring to animals, but equally to people in need,” he said.

As a child, James, his granny and his family would cut up Christmas cards, make tags to raise funds for The Blue Cross Animal Hospital.

James at Chambe Secondary School in Malawi when he was just 17 years old

Aged 17 years, James took a gap year and went to teach in Malawi for three months at Chambe Secondary School.

His classes had over 100 students many of them older than James.

Mum Diane said: “He was very impulsive. He always wanted to help other people. Because he struggled at school because of dyslexia and dispraxia, he wanted to prove he could achieve and was always on a mission to do something.”

Friend, Charlotte Stowe said: “When people would go off on a run around the block, James would run a marathon. He liked to prove he could do the same as anyone else, just to show he could.”

As well as his diaries he completed every day over the past 14 years, James, kept an extensive list of all the countries he had visited.

James on a mission

The family recalled on Boxing Day he pointed to Kazakhstan on a map and by December 28 he and his friends and family were in the country for just 30 hours before returning home.

“Everyone who met him found him an inspiration,” told friend Liam Quickfall.

James was his best man at his wedding.

James with friends in Greece where he loved doing the James Campling pose.

He told how everywhere he went, James did his famous pose of arms in the air and legs bent.

It was copied where ever he went.

Fellow nurse Rachael “OB” Harris told of the many friends James met while training at Nottingham.

“He loved it. It was his vocation,” she said.

She added: “Even when he was starting his chemotherapy we planned to do a Three Peaks Challenge. James insisted on coming along and did all 26 miles. You just could not tell James what to do or not to do.”

Dad Gareth said he was proud his son travelled to Antarctica on a solo voyage.

He recalled travelling in Lyon and sleeping with the homeless on the streets of the French city.

James Campling with his dad Gareth at Westminster

James and his father met MPs at Parliament as they lobbied for more funding for brain tumour research.

His family were proud of the praise given to James from his surgeon who told how James was “the finest example of a patient he had ever met” and he was overwhelmed by the support he had received from his loving family, friends and the RAF.

Gareth said: “The RAF has been brilliant. They provided excellent care at John Radcliffe and and Churchill hospitals in Oxford.

“Everyone has been like family.”

After joining the RAF, he received a trophy for his endeavour.

James in a ceremony in his uniform

Warrant Officer Lee Bond told how James chose the “perfect role” flying out to treat injured servicemen and women.

He was among a team which treated people in Sierra Leone after the devastating outbreak of Ebola.